*The global success of Michael Jackson’s biopic “Michael” has raised the stakes for the upcoming Beatles film series. The project now faces higher expectations across the industry.
“Michael” has officially surpassed the Freddie Mercury biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” to claim the title of highest-grossing music biopic in history with $911.9 million at the global box office.
Lionsgate confirmed that “Michael” has made $358 million at the domestic box office and another $553 million internationally; that total does not include this weekend’s receipts. In comparison, the 2018 Queen movie raked in $910 million worldwide during its theatrical run and earned its star, Rami Malek, an Oscar for Best Actor.
The performance of “Michael” has shifted how studios view large music-based films. The Beatles project carries a reported $250 million budget. According to the National Examiner, it is planned as a four-part series.
The strong turnout for “Michael” has reset expectations for similar movies. Filmmakers are now rethinking how they will stage performance scenes. The Beatles films will rely heavily on live performance sequences. That approach presents challenges. The band stopped touring during their peak years.
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The cast is also undergoing intense preparation. Harris Dickinson, Paul Mescal, Joseph Quinn, and Barry Keoghan are all training to match the musical style and stage presence of The Beatles.
Industry attention has also focused on the lead performance in “Michael.” Jaafar Jackson’s portrayal and choreography recreations have been widely noted. Some observers say it has set a new benchmark for the music biopic genre.
“Jaafar Jackson’s epic performance in Michael, especially the physical transformation he pulled off and the absolutely mind-blowing recreations of the real Michael’s dance moves may have set the bar a little too high for these guys,” one source said. “Everybody’s feeling the pressure to top Michael while at the same time wondering if that’s even possible.”
As the Beatles project moves forward, “Michael’s” success continues to shape expectations. It has become a key reference point for scale and audience demand in music biopics.
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